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HHS senior Mark Edmonds won his first national wrestling tournament championship when he was named champion in the April 7 Midwest Classic Nationals in Kearney, Neb.

Held at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds in Kearney, the Midwest Classic featured 16 mats and over 700 high school wrestlers.

Edmonds drew a first-round bye in his 132-lb. competition, then won four straight to take the championship.

He pinned Jesse Lammers of Cedar Valley in 2:19, won a 5-1 decision over Seth Nehls of Kearney High, pinned Skyler Teten of Syracuse in :46 and won a 5-3 decision over Isaac Elge of Nebraska Christian in the championship.

Edmonds was coached by Allen Strong of Holyoke.

The three-time state champion in Colorado wrestling entered the Midwest Classic Nationals with determination. He had placed third the last three years and was determined to win this year.

It was a great way to finish in his last high school wrestling tournament.

In his first-round match, Edmonds drew Cole Mendenhall, a four-time state champion in Montana, who is ranked 9th in the U.S. Mendenhall defeated Edmonds and went on to place second in the senior nationals tourney.

Edmonds then faced Ace Michael of Arkansas. Edmonds was beating Michael 2-1 when Michael scored two in the last 10 seconds to take the win. Michael also placed in the senior nationals.

Edmonds now looks forward to wrestling for Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa. after graduating from HHS this May.